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Well over the last 6 months I have noticed mom (with Alz) is not wanting to eat her meals. She will just ignore the food in front of her. I must sit with her and prompt her to take the next bite. I was wrought with worry that she is losing her ability to feed herself ie entering another stage. With my patience as low as it is here, in year 8, we have battled over this for months I holler at her..."why aren't you eating" "don't you see the plate in front of you" what do you think it is there for, decoration" etc.. One day not to long ago I came to a realization it does no good, she is not in control anymore. I felt like a total heel for hollering all this time but i was relieved i didnt have to it wouldnt help. A while after this realization, the total opposite became obvious to me. She has complete control over her ability to eat. She will eat the heck out of something sweet, i do not even have to check on her. This is a huge releif, for now, whew!!
But why does it take me so long to figure these thngs out... I worried myself sick for months thinking feeding tubes were in the near future, etc and guilted myself so hard over the hollering!! It was like a lightbulb went on tonite "hey she CAN eat" Actually I think I do know. I think I get so submerged in the emotions of it all it clouds my intellegence! I do know the hollering is fear on my part too! But when these litebulbs go off it makes me feel so stupid sometimes, I wanna give myself a palm to the back of the head, lol!! so here comes part two: I do not know why she only chooses to eat sweets and wont eat regular food that I know she loves??
I mean i would give her sweets all day long if I felt it was nutritional but she needs more than that! If i could get her to eat her meals so much of the aforementioned stresses would be eleminated!

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Just FYI yes Ensure is a staple in our household!! I now have begun incorporating more sweet healthy foods into the menu..like greek yogurt (2x protein of regular) and oatmeal or cottage cheese n fruit etc...
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Eating sweets in the last stages of Alz is very normal... it's the last taste buds that register taste.... you may try substituting things like ensure, it has a sweet taste , to make sure she is getting nurtients that she needs.... and it is true, she doesn't recognize what is in front of her as food.... I have to turn S's plate sometimes so he can see there is something else on his plate.... they' forget' what food is for.... like if I ask if S wants peaches... I have to show them to him, as he does not remember what peaches are... but when he sees them, then he knows it's something he likes.... and yes, he gets his sweets.... he can still feed himself... but some days he just isn't hungry... we are all like that.... you are doing a good job, and coming here asking for suggestions is proof of that...... others will respond..... hand in there, this is the hardest job we've ever had..... hugs..
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